Returning McLeod makes impact for Springfield

Springfield's Jacinda McLeod made immediate impact in her first game back in Whangarei after completing her first semester at Boston University.
Having just returned home for two-and-a-half months over the summer break, McLeod put Springfield on the board to equalise with Maungakaramea, during the Northland premier women's round 10 hockey match on Saturday.
After a slow start to the match, Maungakaramea's Jonelle Culling had found the back of the goal first to put her side in the lead for a short stint before McLeod equalised.
It was anyone's game at halftime, with Maungakaramea and Springfield - second and third on the table respectively - tied 1-1 at halftime.
Most of the match was played in the midfield, and there were limited chances for either side to score. However, Maungakaramea utilised an opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty corner.
Tania Crane scored off the rebound, putting her side in the lead, 2-1. Having beaten Maungakaramea already this season, Springfield were keen on a repeat performance but the second half proved a struggle for the girls to maintain possession. However, Jodie Nicol managed to level the score with Maungakaramea late in the second half to end the match in a 2-2 draw.
Springfield stand-in coach Grant McLeod said it was disappointing to go down to a side they had previously beaten, but Maungakaramea put in a stronger performance than his team.
Meanwhile, Whangarei Girls High put on a gutsy display, taking their chances against table leaders Old Girls to win 4-3. Old Girls clawed their way back to sit 2-2 after WGHS got out to an early lead, but the schoolgirls were on fire, and slotted in two more goals in the second half to claim their deserved victory.
A 0-0 halftime scoreline was quickly turned around during Hikurangi's match against Kamo High School, when Hikurangi slotted three penalty corner goals in nine minutes to take control of the game. Kamo's Kelly Dempster's sole goal was not enough to recover the scoreline, and Hikurangi triumphed, 4-1.
 Things are heating up in the premier men's competition, with both round six matches ending in a 1-1 draw. Bream Bay United, who share the lead with Mangapai, tussled with Maungakaramea in a fairly even encounter.
Maungakaramea's Sam Webb sent his side into the early lead, with a successful penalty corner. Trailing 1-0 heading into the second half, Bream Bay applied pressure on attack and took control of the match. Despite shots at goal they could only finish off one goal, with inside right Max Lidderman doing the honours halfway through the second half.